Wire eope



(No Model.) 3 sheets-suelen 1.

. F. A. WISWIELL.

ART 0F MANUFACTURING WIREROPE.

No. 276,316. @Atenea Apr.24,1883.

H *Si oo o9 c A o s s #Eq N O Og a@ I 0 om v l) A u iq f.

I- q; h 10| QN w l` FR N s N SH E .f l l H l .g H OSS l e e h u: S5 Q sQ e u (No Model.)

aaneen-sheen 2. F. A. WISWELL.

ART 0F MANUFACTURING WIRE ROPE.

Patented Apr. 24, 1883.Y

Illllll nu um lig. 4.

v. PETERS. Fham-Lilhagnpmr. wnshingmm D.C.

(No Moagm 'sweets-sheen 3.' F. A. WISWELL. `ART 0F MANUFACTURING WIREBUPB.

No. 276,316. Patented Ap1-.24,188s.

N. PETERS. Fmwumngnpmr. whingwn. D. C,

UNITED STATES FREDERICK A.

PATENT. Graines.

wrswELL, or Bauen rLAImAssIeNoR rro CHAenEs C. CCLBY, or srANs'rEAD,QUEBEC, CANADA.

ART `or MANUFACIuRiNGwmE ROPE.

sPEcrFICA'rIoN forming part of Letters] Patent No. 276,316. dated April24, 188e.

Application filed December 1,5,"182." (No model.) p

To all whom it may concern: y

Beit known that I, F. A. `,VVISWELL a citizen of the Dominion of Canada,residingat Beebe Plain, in the county of Stanstead and Province ofQuebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inArt,

of Manufacturing Wire Rope; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and` exact description of the invention, such as willenableothers skilled in theart to which it ap pertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates tothe art of manufacturing wire rope and cables,and has for its purpose,first, the strain applied thereto will be borneby all the wires composing the same; and, secondly, to `obtain a cheaperandsuperior workin g rope. To effect these results` I lay individualwires around cores to form strand-cores; secondly,

layindividual wires around the strand-cores to form strands; and,lastly, lay the strands around a main or rope coreto form the rope, lallin one continuous operation.

Fora full understanding of my improvement,

n reference is made to the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1, Sheet l, represents a plan view ofamachine adapted to carry out my improvedprocess, in which some of theparts are broken away and others removed to more clearly illustrate theprincipal working portion of the same. Fig.2,Sheet 2, is a frontelevation of one of. the general n heads or groups of mechanism with anumber of the spool-carriers removed and the arm g broken away. Fig. 3is a longitudinal vertical section thereof, taken on the line ac oc,Fig.

` l 2. Fig. 4 is an end view ot' one ofthe spoolcarriers. Fig. 5 is asimilar view, illustrating the end opposite to that shown in Fig. 4.Fig. Gis a front elevation, partly in section, of a spool-carrier. Fig.7, Sheet 3, is an enlarged sectional view of the strand-laying-headmechanism. Fig. Sis an elevation of the slotted sector which `supportsthe gear Y, located between the driving and vmain shafts;` and Fig. 9 isa transverse section of a hoisting-rope.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarcharacters of reference. In the accompanying' drawings, A marks a `maybe of any known to obtain a rope or cable in which anism, and .B thecentral hollow shaft, supported at its rear end in bearings d a',secured tothe frame A, and at its forward end in the rope-laying head C,which is held in bearings a? to said frame A. This rope-laying head Gform or construction suitable for the purpose, though I have shown thatform which is fully described in an application tiled by me July 1l,1882, numbered 66,359, to which reference is made.

Two hubs, D Gr, are secured tothe main shaft Bat a suitable distanceapart, and are respectively providedV with six radiating arms, d g,`whose extremities support six general heads `or groups of mechanism,which are designed to manufacture the strandcores and strands, and sincesaid heads are alike in construction and operation, I contine myself toa specilic description ot' one ot' them, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3of Ithe drawings. Referring, then, to said figures, d marks one of thearms of the hub D, partly broken away and having-the sleeve d securedtoits end, said sleeve receiving and supporting the hollow shaft c.Secured with a set-screw, e', to'the hollow shaft c, in front of thesleeve d', isthe head E, provided with a number of arms, c2, projectingfrom its rim, said arms designed to receive the spool-carriers to bepresently described. -Secured to the head E, opposite each other, aretwo arms, F F', which project forward and inward, and at the extremityof the shorter arm, F', form an annular bearing,f3, (shown in Fig. 1,)for the st-rand-corellaying head, which will be presently set forth. Theouter arm, F, extends forward of the strand-corelaying head and ends inthe hub f, which has a rim,f, connected to said hub by means of thespokes f2, (shown in Fig. 2,) the said arm F, hubf, rim f', and spokesf2 formed, in the present in stance, in one piece. The rim f has abearingin the end of the arm g, as shown. The base H of the strandlayinghead is screwed into the hub f, and is curved and tapered, as shown, toreceive the sleeve l1., which has its inner surface curved in suchmanner as to fit the curved surface of the base, as more fully indicatedin Fig. 7. rDhe sleeve h is held onv the base H by means of the tube I,which IOO operation of parts and the fact that said parts containingwire-bearing spools. Formed in one piece with the hub of the disk K, andextending forward therefrom in a curved manner, as shown, is an'arm, L,which ends in the hub l and rim l, formed in one piece therewith, saidparts supporting the strand-core-laying head com posed of the curvedbase M, sleeve m, spider N, slotted tube m, set-screw m2, thumb-nut n,and coiled spring n, all of which are constructed in manner similar tothe parts composing the strand-laying head, with the single exceptionthat the spider N has a less passes through base H and'rcceives at itsforward end the spider J, which in turn bears against the sleeve h. Thetube I receives a thumb-nut, i, at its rear end, which presses against acoiled spring, fi', encircling said tube between said thumb-nut and theend of the base H, as clearlyshown in Fig. 7. A set-screw, h,'passespartly through the base H and into -a slot, 2, in the tube I, to preventa rotation of the tube, while permitting longitudinal motion thereof'.

the less number of wires used in the construetion of the strand-core.The strand-core-layin'g head has all the-capabilities incident to thestrand-laying head, as described hereinbefore.

Referring to one of the spool-carriers illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6that the arms e2 of the strand-head E and the arms 7a2 of the disk K, Omarks the base; 0, the rigid arm disposed at right angles to said base,'and o the swinging arm pivoted to the opposite end thereof. Engagingwith the pair of lugs o2, formed one on each side of the rigid arm o, isa friction-block, P, .held in frictional Contact withV thefriction-wheel Q,journaled in the' upper end of the arm o by means ofthe spr'ingp, abutting against the adjusting-screw p', working in thelower part of saidarm o. Gast on thlefinner face of the friction-wheelis a corrugated or ribbed stud, q, which partly projects into the hub ofthespool R, and by reason of the corrugations or ribs causes the spoioland friction-wheel to'be revolved together when the spool'is rotated.ing, arm is provided at vits end with a smooth or, if desired,lcorrugated stud, q, workin g ou in Fig. 2, the spider J has a number ofslots, j, in its periphery, tocontain each an individual wire, wherebyentanglement of the wires with one another will be prevented and theirproper laying into the strand facilitated. 1 I provide the concavedsurface-in the base H andthe contiguous oonvexed surface in the sleeveL, to cause said base and sleeve and the spider J to act as awire-straightener.

It will be seen by referring to Fig. 7, which shows sleeve h removedAfrom close con tact parts at three points-namely, against baseH at itslargest diameter, againstthe central part ofthe curved surface ofthesleeve h, and against the spider.J in one of its slots. Further, it willbe observed that the portion of the curved surface of sleeve It 'againstwhich bears is at a point below a right line drawn from the bearing-poin ts of the base and spider. This construction is provided so thatupon drawing the wire through the partsfit will be the spool-carrier bymeansof the bent retaina strand. By this operation of parts all bends.ing-wire o3, which is passed around the swingor curves that may be inthe wire as it leaves a spool will be removed, and the curvature or bendgiven to it by the described mechanism said arm, and has its endssecured to the arm will only remain. Further, by reason of this areadjustable, a complete and thorough tension mechanism is provided, whichis capable rier by pressing or forcing the retaining-wire of impartingan unvarying tenslon on all the o3 away from the cam-web oL1 and towardthe base O, to permit arm o to be swung outward and, further, that thefriction between wheel Q and block P can be act-in a threefold capacity,thns dispensing with independent tenslon and straightening mechanism andgreatly simplifying the construction ot' the machine. k marks a hollowshaft partly inclosed by the shaft e, but eX- tending in eitherdirection beyond it, and having the disk Ksecured to it in front of thehead E with a set-screw, 7c. This disk is provided with a number ofarms, k2, projecting from its face,.to economize space, instead of fromits periphery, as in the case of the head E, said arms k2 designed tocarry spool-carriers is designed to prevent the spool revolving b reasonof the spring of the wire coiled thereon. The base O is provided with aprojection having an annular opening, o5, and set-screw o6, to enablethe spool-carrier to be placed and disk K. Y l i It will be noticed fromthe drawings that carriers containing each a wire-bearing spool,

number of slots than the spider J, because of the pin g2, and'ylpartially inserted in the conretained on an arm, e2 or k2, of the headE or I the head E is capable of Vcarryin g twelve spoolare secured toIOO ing arm o', engageswiththe cam-web o4 on o, as clearly shown in Fig.6. By this con- R, and that the disk K is adaptedto carry sixspool-carriers, which also contain wire-bearing e spools.

and then inward curved direction to the rear end of shal't k, by which`'means a core for the strand-core may be passed-fronrthe core-spool g Sto and into the hollow shaft @and thence to and into the tube ml of-thestrand-core-laying head, to become incorporated into the strand-` coreat the spider Y.` y

The spaces between the .spokes f2, rim f', and basefpermit wires fromthe spools on the head Eto be passed to thestrand-laying head, and thesame provision is made with reference to the wires passingfrom thespools on the disk K to the.strand-eorelaying head.

' As shown in Fig.r3, the shaft e is provided in rear of the sleeve d'with a bevel-gear, e3, and the shaft lc has `,a vsimilar gear, It, atits rear end, both of which mesh with the bevel-` gear `t on the outerend of shaft T, held in bearings t', secured to the back `of `the arm d.l

As shown in Fig. l, the inner end `of shaft T `has a bevel gear,tengaging with the bevelvgear u, cast in one piece with or secured totheY `spur-gear U,toform adouble gear-wheel, which is free to turn on themain shaft B. l

Meshing with the spur-gearU of tlie'double gear-wheel is an idlewheel,V,adjustably held `by means of a journal-bolt, n, in the slottedsector e', secured "to the fraine A. 'l-he idle.` gear V engages in turnwith the pinion ,zu V,on the shaft W, heldin bearings tothe franieA.Larger or smaller pinions may be placed onthe shaft W in lieu of thepinion fw. `The slotte? `in `the sector lv is concentric `with theperiphl ery cf the main shaft B, so that when alarger 1 or smallerpinion is placedion the shaft VV,in

stead of the pinion shown, the idle-gear V may be adjusted in theslotted standard tocausedt to mesh with thespur-gear U and said pinion,

whereby an increased ordiminishedspeed gwill be transmitted from `shaftW to said double]` gear-wheel,.from which motion isconnmuni-l` ca tcdtothe strand-head E `through shaft T,

its gears t t2, bevel-gears, and shaft e, and dto disk `K through saidshaft T, its gears, the` bevelg-gieark, and shaft k.

Keyed to the shalt W is aspur-gear, w',

meshing with the idle-gear m, held by a journal-bolt, x', to the arm m2,formingpar-t of the .sleeve X, which is free to turn on main shaft w2marks a'band-wheel keyed y indicates a shield to guide the rope-core tothe shaft B,and y a pivoted lever, which rests s on one ofthe disks ofthe reel,andis provided `S marks Va eore-spoo1 suitably lheld on an arm,s,serewed into the sleeved', to which` also isv held theshield s',having retaining-l studs s2, said shield extending `in an outward with aweight, y2, whereby the rope-core will be .drawn from the reel undertension to pre Avent a `too `rapidl unwinding thereof.

`With the exception of the slotted sector fvf, with its gear V, and thefact that one idlegear instead; of two is interposed between gear w onshaft W and gear X on main shaft B, the foregoing-described drive andreel mechanism, including shaft T, `are identical with thosedesoribed inthe application hereinbefore mentioned, to which reference is made for awhenceit may be passed to `a suitable reeling .device, to which motionmaybe given through a belt engaging with .the pulley z2.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the main shaft receives motionthrough gear X', keyed thereto, while the groups of mechanism which aredesigned to form the strands and `strandcores receive motion from thedouble gear-wheel u U, loose on said main shaft B.

Assuming that the six lgroups of mechanism contain the required numberof spools Rllled with wire, the core-spools S are filled with the`required cores, the reel Y contains the proper rope-core, the machineis properly threaded, and the wiresare drawn forward around thedrawing-wheel Z and through the drawingrolls z', the operation of theparts to carry ont my improved method of laying individual wires TOOaround cores to forni strand-cores, next laying individual wires Yaroundthe strand-coresto form strands, and lastly laying the strands around a.main or rope coreto form the rope in one continuous operation will `beas follows:

IIS

Upon ,giving `motion to the described drive ,v l

`mechanism the disks K are rotated on their axes, the individual wiresare Adrawn fromgthe spoolsrlt in the spool-carriers on said disks,and,lpassi.n,g between the base M and sleeve on of the`strand-Acore-laying heads, arebent, l subjected to tensile strain, andlaid around the core-wires passing fromthe core-spools S lto and in'totheV shafts k and tubes m to the spiders N to form the strand-cores,which pass to and through the tubes I to the spiders J of thestrandlaying heads. During this operation of part-s the heads E revolvein an opposite direction to that of the disks K, the individual Wiresare drawn from the spools R in the spool-carriers en said heads, and,passing between the sleeve h and base H ofthe strandlaying heads, arebent, subjected to tensile strain, and laid around the strand-cores toform strands, which, six in number, pass over the grooved rollers g',having bearings in the brackets g2, secured to the arms g, to and intothe rope-laying head C, and are laid, in a reverse direction to the layof the wires around the strand-cores, around the rope-core, passing fromthe reel Y to and into the hollow main shaft B to said rope-laying headC to forni the rope, said rope thence passing around the wheel Z andthrough the drawing-rolls e to a suitable reeling device.

It' desired, the disks K may be caused to revolve in the same directionas thatof the heads E by removing the shields s from the sleeves d topermit the bevel-gears k3 to be removed from the shafts k, thentightening the setscr'ews e, to cause the shafts e and lo to movetogether, and replacing the shields s.

It will be observed that the'strand-eore-laying heads rotate with thedisks K, While the stral'ld-laying heads rotate with the heads E;further, that the groups ot' mechanism are carried around the axis ofthemain shaft B by means of the radiating arms d g.

When the heads E and disks K are iilled with spool-carriers containingwirebearing spools, the hoisting-rope shown in Fig. 9 will bemanufactured upon putting the machinein motion.

A variety of ropes may be made by the machine herein disclosed,differing from that shown in Fig. 9 in the arrangement and number ofwires, though involving in their manufacture all the steps of theprocess herein set forth.

No claim is herein set up for the machine shown and described forcarrying out my iinproved process, as suchmachinei'ormsthesubject-matter of an application filed by me on the 12thday of August, 1882, numbered 69,225.

It will be noticed that lin the foregoing operation of parts to carryout my improved method or process the strand-cores, after being formed,are drawn Without being bent directly' to the strand-laying heads, whereindividual wires are laid around them to form the strands, andthat saidstrands are then drawn to the niain laying-head in au oblique directionand, Withoutbeing bent in any other manner, are laid around-therope-core yto form the rope.

As is Well known in the art, the strand-cores, instead of being formedof a number of Wires laid around a core or center, may be made otlseveral wires laid together or around one another, in which event saidcore or center is dispensed with. This feature is one so well knownl tothose skilled in the art of manufacturing wire rope as not to requirefurther explanation in order to be fully understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 4 1. Theimprovement in the art of manufacturing Wire rope, which consists infirst laying individual wires around cores to form strand-cores, nextlaying individual wires around the strand-cores to form strands, andlastly laying the strands around a rope-core to form the rope, all inone continuous operation, substantially as set forth.

2. The improvement in the art of manufacturing wire rope, which consistsin iirst laying individual Wires subjected to tension applied directlythereto around cores to form strand-cores, next laying individual wiressubjected to tension applied directly thereto around the strand-cores toform strands, and lastly laying the strands around a main core to formthe rope all in one continuous operation, substantially as set forth.

3. Theimprovement in the art of lnanufaeturing wire rope, which consists-in tirst laying individual wires around. cores to form strand eores,next laying individual wires around the strand-cores to form strands,and lastly laying the strands directly around a rope-core insubstantially the same line ot' draft as thatin which the Wiresarelaidaround the strand-cores to form the rope, substantially as set forth.

4. The improvement in the art of manufacturing Wirevrope, which consists.in first laying individual Wires subjected to tension applied directlythereto around eores to form strand-wires, next laying individual wiressub'- jected to tension applied directly thereto around the strand-coresto form strands, and lastly laying the strands directly around arope-core in substantially the same line of draft as that in which thewires are laid around the strandcores to form the rope, all in onecontinuous operation, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. WIsWEIiL. Witnesses:

W. GRIFFIN, F. GRIFFIN.

